Display rack



June 30, 1959 J wl-"T KER 2,892,547

DISPLAY- RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 30, 1959 E, HWAKER 2,892,547

DISPLAY RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 2, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

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DISPLAY RACK Filed March 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 11 JET lV/u'i'alrer INVENTOR a s ll 7 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent DISPLAY RACK John E. Whitaker, Monroe, La.

Application March 2, 1956, Serial No. 569,045

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-147) This invention relates to a display rack for supporting articles for sale.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved display rack for supporting relatively heavy articles such as furniture or the like, which includes means whereby the articles will be held against sliding ofi from the shelves and also includes means whereby the shelves may be vertically adjusted.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable rack structure which includes means whereby at least one of the shelves may be tilted or angularly adjusted so as to display the articles disposed thereon to the fullest extent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and com-binations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of the display rack constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

. Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly broken away, of the rack.

Fig. 3 is a detail end elevation of the rack.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section partly broken away taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken longitudinally on substantially the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a detail front elevation partly broken away of a modified form of this invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1313 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 to 9 inelusive, the numeral 15 designates a pair of rear posts or legs of tubular form and the numeral 16 designates a pair of front legs or posts also of tubular form. The rear legs 15 are substantially longer than the front legs, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described. An upper platform or shelf, generally indicated at 17 is secured to the posts 15 and 16 and comprises a rec-- tangular frame formed of a rear bar 18, a front wall 19 and a pair of connecting end bars 20. The bars 18 and 19 are of angle shape with one side horizontal and the other side indicated at 21 being disposed in a vertical position. An intermediate longitudinal bar 22 is secured between the end bars 20 and the intermediate bar 22' has a depending vertical side 23. i The opposite ends of the bars 18 and 19 are welded, or otherwise secured to the end bars 20 and the opposite ends of the intermediate bar 22 are welded or otherwise secured to the end bars 20. A platform or wall 24 is secured as by bolts 01 other securing means 25 to the extending sides or flanges- 21 of the bars 18 and 19. The wall or platform 24 has a longitudinally upstanding rib or flange 26 dis'-' posed along the forward or front edge thereof so that articles may be disposed on the wall 24 with the shelf at an angle to the vertical and the articles will be held against sliding off of the wall 24 by the rib 26.

The shelf 17 is secured to the rear legs 15 by means of a pair of sleeves or tubular members 27 which are adapted to loosely engage about the legs 15. Each sleeve or tubular member has an arm 28 extending therefrom which is adapted to be secured as by a bolt or other fastening member 29 to an adjacent end bar 20. The sleeve 27 is vertically adjusted by means of a bolt 30 which is threaded through the sleeve 27 and loosely en-' gages through a selected one of a plurality of openings or keepers 31 which are formed in thepost or leg 15. The forward end of the shelf 17 is supported by means of :1

- pair of substantially Z-shaped bars 32 which have a vertical side 33 secured by a bolt 34 to an adjacent end bar 20. The Z-shaped member 32 includes an obtusely inclined intermediate portion 35 and a vertical arm 36 which is adapted to extend downwardly into the upper end of a front leg 16. The angled portion 35 provides a means to limit the downward extension of the Z-shaped member 32 into the leg 16.

The rack herein disclosed also includes an intermediate shelf generally indicated at 37. The shelf 37 is formed of a frame of rectangular configuration and is generally indicated at 38. The frame 38 is formed or a rear longitudinal angle bar 39, a front longitudinal angle bar 40 and connecting end angle members 41. The frame 38 also includes an intermediate longitudinal angle bar 42. A plate or wall 43 is secured to the upper side of the frame 38 by means of bolts or other fastening members 44. The frame 38 has secured to the opposite ends thereof a rear pair of sleeves 45 which are connected to the adjacent end bars 41 by means of a connecting web 46. The sleeves 45 are adapted to engage about the rear legs 15 and the sleeves 45 are vertically adjusted with respect to the sleeves 15 by means of bolts 47 which are threaded through the sleeve 45 and are disposed in selected openings 48 which are formed on the legs 15. The frame 38 also has fixed to the opposite ends thereof a front pair of sleeves 49 which are secured to the adjacent end frame bars 41 by means of webs 50. The front sleeves 49 engage about the front legs 16 and the sleeves 49 are secured in vertically adjusted position by means of bolts 51 which are threaded through the sleeves 49 and extend into selected openings or keepers 52 which are formed in the rear or inner sides of the legs 16.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, there is disclosed a modified form of this rack structure. The rack shown in Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, includes a pair of rear tubular legs 53, a pair of front tubular legs 54, and an upper shelf or platform generally indicated at 55 is mounted on the legs 53 and 54. This shelf or platform 55 includes a rack frame 56 which is formed of a front angle bar 57, a rear angle bar 58 and end angle bars 9. An intermediatebracing angle bar 60 is secured between the end bars 59. A wall or plate 61 is secured by bolt 62 to the upper side of the frame 56 and the Wall ortplate 61 isformed at its front edge with an upstanding rib or flange 63. This rib or flange 63 provides a means whereby articles placedon the wall at the height the shelf is tilted,.will not slide off of the front edge of the shelf, The frame 56 at each end thereof has secured thereto a U-shaped member 64 which has one side 65 thereof secured by fastening means 66 to an end bar 59. A sleeve 67 issecured in the bight of the U-shaped member, 6 4 and is adapted to engage over a rear leg 53. The sleeve67 is secured in vertically adjusted position on the rear leg 63 by means of a bolt 68 which is threaded through the sleeve 67 ,and engages through a selected QBQ Gf a series of vertically spaced apart openings 69 formedjnthe rearvlegs 53. The front of the frame 56 issecured in the frontlegs54 by means of Z-shaped members 70, similar to, Zshaped members 32. These 2- shaped members 70 are secured by means of bolts 71 to the ends of the frame 56. The Z-shaped members 70 are extended downwardly into the upper open ends of the frontlegs 54. An intermediate shelf 72 is secured to therear legs and front legs 53 and 54 and the lower or intermediate shelf 72 is formed of a rectangular frame 73 having rear and fro nt angle bars 74 and 75, respectiyely, which are secured to the opposite endsof end angle bars 76. A plateor panel 77 is secured by bolts 78 to the upper side of frame 73. Frame 73 has secured to each endthereof adjacent the rear an eye or sleeve 79 having an arm 80 extending therefrom, which is fixed to an adjacent end bar 76.

As shown in Fig. of the drawings there are two of these shelves 72 which are disposed below upper shelf members 55. The shelf members 55 are similar to the shelf 55, with the exception that the shelf members 55 have secured between the front and rear frame bars thereof an intermediate bracing angle bar 81. A lower or intermediate self 82 is disposed between adjacent racks and the lower orintermediate shelf 82 is formed of a frame 83 of rectangular shape having a plate 84 secured tothe upper side thereof. The frame 83 has extending from each end thereof a pair of horizontally disposed hook-shaped supporting members 85 which are adapted to engage over the adjacent end members 76 of frame 73. The hook-shaped members 85 are secured by means of a bolt 86 to angle-shaped members 87 which are fixed to the adjacent end bars 88 of frame 83.

In the use of this display rack the rack shown in Figs.

4- A 1 to 9, inclusive, is set up with the shelves 17 and 37 secured to the legs 15 and 16. The shelves 17 and 37. are vertically adjusted by means of the bolts 30 and 47 respectively and if desired the upper shelf 17 may be disposed on a downwardly and forwardly inclined angle so that the articles disposed thereon can be more readily viewed or inspected. The rib or flange 26 on the front edge of upper shelf 17 will keep the articles from slipping ofi of the plate 24.

Where a series of these racks are to be used in closely coupled position the shelves shown in Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, are used.

This display rack structure will provide an improved means whereby articlesof merchandise may be more adequately displayed and the shelves may be vertically adjusted to accommodate articles of different sizes.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the character described, a pair of tubular rear legs,'a pair of tubular front legs substantially-shorter than said rear legs, a shelf member of generally rectangular form, a wall extending along the front edge of said shelf, a pair of sleeves slidable on said rear legs, bolt means for securing said sleeves in a selected position on said rear legs, an arm extending from said sleeve, bolts pivotally securing each arm to an end of said shelf, a pair of 2 bars each having a vertical arm and avertical side fixed to an end of said shelf on the side of said shelf opposite said arm extending from said sleeve, each Z bar also having a portion obtusely angled relative to both its vertical arm and its vertical side and extending between said side and arm spacing the arm outwardly from the side relative to the end of the shelf, each of said vertical. arms extending downwardly into the top of one of said front legs, and an intermediate shelf fixed to said front and rear legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,592 Reed Oct; 6, 1885 450,289 Gottfried Apr. 14, 1891 1,044,889 Hyde Nov. 19, 1912 1,113,183 Baehn Oct. 14, 1914 1,408,553 Wedemann Mar. 7, 1922 2,013,118 Vershbow et al. Sept. 3, 1935 2,308,831 Roney et a1 Jan. 19, 1943 2,575,919 Kautzmann Nov. 20, 1951 2,607,156 Bisignano Aug. 19, 1952 2,654,487 Degener Oct. 6, 1953 

